Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
Ver. 1. IN the five and twentieth year, &c.] After the defeat of Gog and Magog cometh in theſe laſt nine Chapters a new Prophecy, aptly depending upon the former, concerning the Chriſtian Church, and the ſpiritual ſtate and conſtitution thereof: which is here prefigured by types of rebuilding the Temple, reſtoring the Levitical rites, and repoſſeſſing the promiſed land. To thoſe Jews who herehence expect a moſt glorious Temple and State at the coming of their imaginary Meſſiah (and for whoſe ſakes theſe high things are thus expreſſed) Chriſt may well ſay as afterwards he did to Nicodemus, Joh. 3.12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not:R. Abba. R. Solomon. Gal. l. 5. c. 12. how ſhall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly? The wiſer of their Rabbines (as Galatinus teſtifieth) convinced by good reaſons, underſtand theſe chapters not of an earthly building according to the letter, but of an heavenly, and in a myſtical ſenſe. And John the Divine ſo interpreteth this Scripture, Rev. 21. & 22. viz. of the heavenly Jeruſalem, that mother of us all. It is ordinary with the Prophets to ſpeak figuratively of the amplitude, ſplendour, and magnificence of the Chriſtian Church: as Iſa. 54.11, 12. I will lay thy ſtones with fair colours, and lay thy foundation with Sapphires, &c. that is, I will erect and raiſe my Church and Temple among the Gentiles, and adorn and deck it with luſtre and variety of precious graces. Divines obſerve, that God here ſheweth Ezekiel a new Temple bigger then the old Jeruſalem, and a new Jeruſalem bigger then all the land of Canaan: (yea according to the account of ſome learned Rabbines) bigger then all the world; for chap. 48.35. it was round about eighten thouſand meaſures, i. e. leucas ſay they. Now in opening of this Prophecy, it muſt not be expected that ſomething ſhould be ſaid to every verſe, as elſewhere hath been done: and yet we muſt know that there is nothing in holy Scripture that is not uſeful and profitable, 2 Tim. 3.16. though at firſt ſight it may ſeem otherwiſe. Metals lye hid in hardeſt quarries: wholeſome herbes are found oft in rougheſt places, and precious ſtones in barren ſands. Hippocrates ſaith that in the faculty of Phyſick there is nothing ſmall,foreign. De part. anim. lib. 1. cap. 5. nothing contemptible. Ariſtotle ſaith in all nature nothing is ſo mean, vile, and abject, that deſerveth not to be admired. The Rabbines have a ſaying that there is a mountain of ſenſe hangeth upon every Apex of the Word of God, &c.
And brought me thither] ſc. To Jeruſalem (in viſion) that valley of Viſion. In the beginning of this book, the ſpirit carried him into the plain of Shinar, there to ſee a viſion, purporting the deſtruction of the material Temple. Here, toward the cloſe of it, he is by the ſame hand carryed to Jeruſalem to ſee a myſtical Temple ſet up in the ſtead thereof, far more ſtately. The ſufferings of this life are in no compariſon worthy of the glory that ſhall be revealed, Rom. 8.18.
Ver. 2. Brought he me] i. e. The Spirit brought me, who is called Gods hand, ver. 1. quia à Patre Filioque quaſi manus dimanat: ſo he is called the finger of God, Exod. 8.19. that is, his power.
And ſet me upon a very high mountain] Moriah, where had ſtood the Temple which overlooked the City: and had been a kind of heaven upon earth, wherein the holy Prieſts and Iſraelites were as ſtars.
By which was the frame of a City] So the Temple ſeemed to him, for its many courts, walls, towers, gates, &c. So doth the Seraglio at this day.
Ver. 3. And behold there was a man] Chriſt the Soveraign Architect of his Church, as Rev. 11.1. This might well be brought in with an Ecce. He appeared after another manner in that firſt dreadful viſion, chap. 1.
Whoſe appearance was like the appearance of braſſe] Bright and durable; importing Chriſts purity and eternity.
With a line of flax in his hand] Chriſts meaſuring-line is the holy Scripture, and the preaching of the Word; ſo is alſo his meaſuring rod here ſaid to be of reed, but Rev. 11. of gold. Both theſe are in Chriſts hand; to ſhew that the power and efficacy of the Word read or preached is from him alone: See 1 Cor. 3 9, 10.— 18. & 2 Cor. 10.13.— 17.
Ver. 4. Son of man] A moſt kind compellation, holding forth Chriſts Philanthropy or love to mankind. He calleth us ſons of men, who for our ſakes became the Son of Man, that we might become the ſons of God. It is obſerved that Ezekiel with the Seventy is foreign the ſon of man, but, Chriſt is foreign that is, the ſon of Adam: he was the next and only other common-perſon.
Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine eares, and ſet thine heart, &c.] We ſhould give all poſſible diligence and heed to a diſcourſe of the new Jeruſalem, that City of pearle; ſetting a work both our outward and inward ſenſes, and thoſe well exerciſed, to diſcern both good and evil, Heb. 5. ult.
Declare all that thou ſeest unto the houſe of Iſrael] For therefore haſt thou ſeen it. The manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.7. And as any man hath received the gift, ſo let him miniſter the ſame to others, 1 Pet. 4.10. What uſe is there of candle under a buſhel?
Ver. 5. And behold a wall on the outſide of the houſe] Betokening Gods Almighty Protection of his Church and choſen, Eſa. 26.1. Zach. 2.9. Job 1. Pſal. 125.1, 2. Pſal. 46.1, &c.
Ver. 6. Then came he unto the gate] Henceforth we ſhall read of gates, greeces, poſts, porches, courts, chambers, windows, &c. after the manner of Solomons Temple now burnt to aſhes. Concerning all which, various and very different are the opinions of Interpreters. We ſhall ſee hereafter the whole building in heaven: meanwhile, for many things here mentioned we muſt content our ſelves with a learned ignorance, and not call it deſcriptionem inſulſam, Sanctius: Argum: in hoc cap.as that Popiſh Commenter blaſphemed: or think that the holy Pen-man ſpake he knew not what. This was baſely to ſpeak evil of the things that he knew not. How much better thoſe Rabbines, who meeting with many things here, inextricable and inexplicable, ſay, Elias cum venerit ſolvet omnia?
Ver. 7, And every little chamber] Or Porters-lodge.
Ver. 8. He meaſured alſo the porch] This porch which had neither doores nor roof that we read of, was ſymbolum caeli: De bell. Jud. l. 6. c. 6.caelum enim undique conspicuum lateque patens ſignificabat, ſaith Joſephus, it repreſented heaven.
Ver. 9. And the porch of the gate was inward] Or, this was the porch of the inner gate.
Ver. 10. And the little chambers] Here lay the door-keepers, whoſe office was to keep out the unclean, 2 Chron. 23.19. Oh for ſuch officers amongſt us!
Ver. 11. And the length] That is, the height of the gate.
Ver. 12. The ſpace alſo before the little chambers] Which ſpace ſerved either for ſeats, walks, or eaves rather at either end.
Ver. 13. Door againſt door] The one facing the other, in a direct line.
Ver. 14. Even unto the poſt] i. e. The height was the ſame everywhere. See theſe things beſt ſet forth by pictures at the end of Caſtalio's and Lavaters Annotations on the Text.
Ver. 16. Narrow windows] i. e. Narrowed, the better to let in light: and ſo ſhadowing out that ſpiritual illumination and joy wrought in the hearts of the children of light. See Eſa. 42.7. & 49.6. & 60.19, 20. Mic. 7.8. Luk. 2.32. Joh. 3.19. & 8.24. & 9.5. & 12.35, 36, 46.
Were palm-trees] As for ornament, ſo in token of Victory gotten by the Saints, who do over-overcome, Rom. 8.31. — 37. 1 Cor. 15.54, 55.
Ver. 17. Then brought he me into the outward court] In this Temple were more Courts and more Chambers then ever were in Solomons. Heaven is large, and full of manſions, Joh. 14.
And a pavement made] More coſtly and ſtately then that of Ahaſhueroſh, Eſth. 1.6. Gods people are ſaid to be living ſtones, 1 Pet. 2. more precious then Sapphires, Eſa. 54. firm as a pavement by faith, and low by humility; ſubmitting to their teachers, Heb. 13.17. and obeying from the heart the form of doctrine delivered unto them, Rom. 6.17.
Ver. 18. Was the lower pavement] See on ver. 17.
Ver. 19. An hundred cubits] Square.
Ver. 21. Of the first gate] i. e. Of the eaſt gate, firſt meaſured.
Ver. 22. And their windows] See ver. 16.
And they went up unto it by ſe… ſteps] Whereby was noted the Saints progreſs in knowledge and holineſſe, Luk. 17.5. Rom. 1.17. Rev. 22.11. ſtill climing up toward the heavenly Temple, Pſal. 84.7.
Ver. 31. And palm-trees] See on ver. 16.
Eight ſteps] See on ver. 22.
Ver. 35. And meaſured it according to theſe meaſures] Vilalpandus here noteth, that whatſoever is meaſured in one gate, the ſame is common to all the reſt.
Ver. 38. Where they waſhed the burnt-offering] All muſt be pure and clean in Gods Service. Pura Deus mens eſt, &c. This waſhing of the burnt-offering prefigured Baptiſm ſaith Polanus: as did the tables, ver. 39. the Lords Supper, wherein Chriſt the Lamb of God is ſlain in out ſight.
Ver. 39. Two tables] See on ver. 38.
Ver. 40. As one goeth up to the entry of the North] Hereby was ſignified, ſay ſome, that our corrupt affections muſt be mortified, and our lives laid down, if need be for the truths ſake, ſeem it never ſo hard to be done: ſicut à Septentrione venti flant aſpexi, as North-winds are cold and comfortleſſe.
Ver. 41. Four tables] Not Altars, nor yet Oyſter-boards, as the Papiſts ſcornfully call our Communion-tables.
Ver. 42. Wherewith they ſlew the burnt-offering] The faithful Miniſters of the Goſpel do daily execute their Prieſtly offices, and have their inſtruments according. See Acts 10.13. Rom. 15.15, 16. Philip. 2.17. The Saints alſo, as ſpiritual Prieſts, &c. Rom. 12.1. 1 Pet. 2.9.
Ver. 43. And within were hooks] Where hung the beaſts when they were ſlayed: and afterwards the Prieſts and offerers portions, till after the ſacrifice, they were ſhared out.
Ver. 44. Were the chambers of the ſingers] Theſe were to ſet forth, that Paſtours ſhould have all neceſſary help in their places by the other Church-officers. The Levites were ſingers and porters, 1 Chron. 23. & 26.
Ver. 45. For the Prieſts] Let none elſe intrude into them. See 2 Chron. 26.16.
Ver. 46. Which come near] Exod. 19.22. Levit. 10.3. & 21.17, 18, 21, 23.
Ver. 47. So he meaſured] Chriſt doth all things in his Church in number, weight and meaſure: by his Spirit he ordereth the length, bredth and depth of his ſpiritual houſe, and beſtoweth his gifts by meaſure to each member, Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 10. Eph. 3. & 4.
Ver. 48. The porch of the houſe] Which was covered over head to keep them dry in foul weather. What Chriſt doth for all his: See Iſa. 4.5, 6. & Iſa. 25.4. with the Notes.
Ver. 49. The length of the porch was twenty cubits] After the cubit of the Sanctuary, the weights and meaſures whereof were twice as large as thoſe of the Commonwealth: to ſhew that God expects much more of thoſe that ſerve him there, then he doth of others.